[3][4] It is endemic to New Zealand, and critically endangered, occurring in a very narrow and specialised habitat at just two small coastal sites near Invercargill.

Larvae are a dull greenish-grey with pink tinges, developing a herringbone pattern on their back as they slowly grow to 20 mm long.

On 18 April 2013 a third population was discovered by Department of Conservation entomologist Eric Edwards at the Three Sisters Sand Dune, on the southern side of the New River Estuary between Bluff and Omaui.

[6] A 2014 survey could no longer find A. frivola at Sandy Point; it seems to have disappeared from a combination of human disturbance (off-road 4WD vehicles have badly damaged the site) and the replacement of native vegetation with exotic weeds.

[7] A. frivola only occurs along a small area of the Southland coast, in a narrow (30–50 cm) and fragmented strip of short tussock grassland right next to shell or gravel beaches.

[13][16] The dominant plants in this habitat are knobby club rush (Ficinia nodosa) and silver tussock (Poa cita).

[6][12] Subsequent surveys suggest the host is more likely to be the succulent creeping herb Goodenia radicans, known as remuremu or bonking grass.